Last Man Standing
by MasterCool
Summary: A lot of changes have occurred in the Smash community since the time of Brawl, but few realize them. At the cost of his job, one man takes the problem into his own hands by relying on the help of his comparable allies. SnaFalSam FRIENDSHIP (Don't underestimate the power of friendship)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Howdy, y'all. This is my first ssb story and after writing part of this chapter in the summer with no intentions of continuing, I restarted it with a little influence from Awkward Zombie's "The Beautiful People" comic strip (since it was practically the same idea). If you don't know what AZ is, I suggest you go read and support it cuz it's awesome.

(Though I will boldly say that I wrote this idea BEFORE that strip was made, just so I'm not accused of blatantly copying it, not that I really care to begin with...)

**Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the act of putting this story together, and maybe some other stuff...**

* * *

It was early, about 3 a.m. to be exact, and the Smash Mansion was quiet. The hallways were dark and the large group rooms were empty as each resident was asleep in his or her respective quarters. Well, most of the smash members were asleep.

A certain prestigious captain had awoken and made his way down the silent hallway his room was located in. He woke up at 3 o'clock every morning, saving little room for sleep. There was simply too much to be done in his eyes. The wood flooring squeaked under his golden greaves and he smiled upon seeing a faint light escaping from underneath Kirby's door.

"Must be finishing up a midnight snack," he whispered to himself, chuckling in the process.

His fellow smashers were strange. Nothing like the strange he grew up with in Port Town and Mute City, but a good strange. Captain Falcon was no stranger to non-humans. He fought, raced, and befriended many different species of creatures in his days, but even Smash Brothers had offered new encounters from the beginning. He still had no idea what Kirby was, but it didn't really bother him. In spite of this, he did notice Master Hand's recent acceptance of more humanoid characters.

As he neared the end of the hallway and finished synchronizing his visor with his eyesight, the last door on the right behind him shifted ajar. It was so quiet most people wouldn't have noticed, but that was most people. Captain Falcon stopped walking and faintly smiled under his helmet. He could practically feel Samus' eye piercing into his back through the tiny crack.

"Douglas?" The woman whispered through the now half-opened door space.

"What's up, Sam? I see you're up early…"

"Someone's sneaking around the mansion."

Captain Falcon always knew Samus was blunt, but she still never ceased to surprise him at times. This time included.

"Someone's sneaking around the mansion? What makes you say that?"

"I was leaving the lab about an hour ago when I thought I saw someone. I couldn't find them, but I set up a few surveillance cameras that I'm monitoring in here," she motioned into her room with her head, "and I _have_ seen someone. I just don't know who or what it is, and I haven't been able to track them readily."

Falcon couldn't help but laugh, "Listen Sam, I'll keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Anyone trying to sneak around Smash Mansion must want to get pummeled. You're worrying too much."

Samus gave a small grin before nodding her head in appreciation, "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Captain."

"Any time. But seriously Samus, it's 3 o'clock and we've got 1-on-1's tomorrow. You need all the rest you can get."

"Speak for yourself," she said with a stern look, but was interrupted by a yawn escaping her mouth.

"Ha, nice try. I'll catch up with you later."

"Sure," Samus agreed as she waved him off and closed her door.

Falcon exited the hallway and made his way towards the kitchen across the mansion, keeping Samus' words close in his mind. He activated his visor's night vision to help him see in the dark as he scanned each and every corner he passed. Since turning on the lights would scare the 'intruder' away, he opted for a more stealthy approach, even though stealth wasn't his thing. After trekking through half of the mansion, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, he had found no traces of anything. Ten minutes of searching went by and he arrived at the kitchen, only to see one of the ceiling lights on over a small table. The kitchen was large in its own sense, with the ability to provide food for many people at any time and speed. The smashers who could cook kept it relatively clean, and Chef Kawasaki made sure to keep the others away from the appliances. Several small tables were spread out in the back corner, while the large dining table took up a majority of the dining room outside the kitchen.

Falcon peered through the entrance and almost laughed at what he saw.

"Mario!" He exclaimed with a smile while walking in the kitchen towards the short Italian man. Mario jumped in surprise and dropped his fork on the ground.

"Mamma mia!" The mustachioed plumber turned to see Captain Falcon standing next to the table, "You-a scared me half to death-a, Capitano!"

"That certainly wasn't my intention," the racer smiled as he took a seat across from his Italian friend, "What are you doing up so early? You're normally a pretty heavy sleeper." Captain Falcon watched as Mario got up to clean his fork and return to the table where a large plate of pasta awaited him. It always made Falcon laugh that, even though Mario acted like a perfect role-model around everyone else, he was still a middle-aged Italian man who enjoyed his food every now and then. He was sure Mario took advantage of any down time he could get.

"I was-a just getting a bite to eat," he said with a tweak of his moustache, "this-a place can get-a crazy during the day…"

"You can say that again. Are you ready for 1-on-1's tomorrow?" Falcon watched as Mario almost choked on his spaghetti.

"Oh-a no! I forgot-a!"

"Well, you've got today to rest easy and prepare, so you might as well take advantage of it," Falcon calmed the plumber down, receiving a nod in response. "Do you know who you're up against?"

"Hmm…" Mario rubbed his chin in thought, "I think I'm against-a the frog…" Falcon watched him scrunch his face, trying to remember 'the frog's' name.

"You mean Greninja?"

"Yeah… That's-a the one." Mario scratched his hatless head full of messy hair and exhaled. "I just-a can't keep up-a with all these new smashers, you-a know Falcon?"

The captain frowned a bit, "It has been hard meeting all of them. I still haven't even finished studying the newcomers' abilities."

"I remember when it was just-a us twelve. It was-a much easier." Mario had already finished his pasta and was now leaning back in his chair.

"Those certainly were the days. Heck, I still remember all your fighting styles like the back of my hand, but I guess with new members comes new opportunities."

"I suppose-a you're right," Mario rubbed the back of his neck with a dazed look on his face, "It's-a just hard to see so-a many pretty ladies…"

Falcon let out a laugh and stood from the table, "You should probably get back to sleep Mario. Got a lot of stuff to do before tomorrow."

"Mmm-hmm. So long, eh Falcon?" Mario got up and headed towards the exit.

"Oh, one last thing Mario. Samus said she saw someone sneaking around the mansion. Whether it's one of the smashers or someone else, keep an eye out."

Mario raised his eyebrows in surprise before nodding and exiting the kitchen. He knew someone sneaking around the mansion wasn't much of a threat, especially when Bowser was in close proximities to Peach on a regular basis. If Samus and Falcon weren't worried about it, then neither was Mario.

Captain Falcon decided to head to the garage and tinker with the Blue Falcon to pass some time. He normally hit the gym and began training early on, but settled against it today. Turning the kitchen lights out, he left and made his way to his designated garage in Smash Mansion.

* * *

Frequency 140.85

[CALL]

~_Ring_~_Ring_~

"Snake, come in. Are you there?"

"Right here, Colonel."

"What's your status?"

"Well, I had a look around the mansion and I'm laying low for the moment. Looks like they had a few renovations done since the last time…"

"That's no surprise, Snake. Master Hand had to make room for all the newcomers after all."

"Hmpf, I guess you're right. Can you get a scan of the interior?"

"Negative, Snake. As expected, there must be some type of barrier that prevents any outside transmission. I'm afraid I can only listen to you."

"That's too bad. If I remember correctly, I should be near the hangar bay and garage area. Let's just hope I don't run into any unfamiliar faces."

"That's why you're here, Snake. That said, getting discovered by a smasher is better than getting discovered by Master Hand. The minute he's aware of your presence you're as good as gone."

"Don't worry Colonel, I've got some inner connections I can work through. I think we'll have to leave some of the dirty work to some old coworkers this time."

"I hope it's as easy as you make it out to be. Be careful, Snake. Everyone in this place is just as competent as you are, remember that."

"Apparently so, but we'll just have to see about that. As you've always demonstrated, experience is a priceless trait."

"That it is, and from what I've gathered from the others, few have you beat in that category."

"…Someone's coming. It's time for me to make my first move, Colonel."

"Good luck, Snake."

140.85

[EXIT]

* * *

Captain Falcon turned on the lights and stepped into his section of the smash mansion garage. Most of the vehicles were stored here, ranging from a few Arwings, a motorcycle, some Koopa clown karts and many other ships including the Blue Falcon itself. While massive cruisers like the Halberd and Great Fox clearly couldn't fit, Samus and Olimar managed to squeeze their ships in, though Falcon opted to keep his Falcon Flyer out. The pilot had always parked his F-Zero machine on the far side of the hangar with considerable distance between the next machine. At first glance, most thought he was obsessed, but the veterans soon found out what the Blue Falcon truly meant to him.

Grabbing a cloth to clean the cockpit windshield, Falcon walked over to his machine before noticing a large, cardboard box off to the side. He walked up to it in disbelief and wasn't sure whether to laugh or worry. Falcon kicked the box over with his foot, knowing better than to expect someone under it. The racer stood silently for a number of seconds before swiftly spinning around and blocking an incoming punch with his forearm.

"I was expecting a flaming uppercut. Glad I was wrong."

"And I was expecting a snapped neck. Glad _I_ was wrong."

The two heroes lowered their defenses and shook hands with enough professionalism and manliness to shake the very foundation of the building itself. Snake lit a cigarette as Falcon tossed his clean rag to the side.

"Just the man I wanted to see. How the hell are you, Falcon?"

"I'm doing okay, though I certainly didn't expect to see anyone here, no less you of all people."

"You did a nice job of finding me out. Good to know you're as aware as ever." Snake congratulated, taking a long drag from his cigarette.

"I had a little help actually. Sam thought she saw someone and decided to monitor some of the mansion's cameras."

"Heh, that explains it. Nothing ever gets past her."

"Don't give her all the credit. I'd be a sorry excuse for a racer if I couldn't notice you."

Snake couldn't help but frown, "And here I thought I was one of the best in my business. You make me sound like a rookie."

Falcon smirked and went back to grab another clean cloth. "You know we're all on even playing fields here," he said before finishing up his windshield. "So Snake, why _are_ you here?"

The middle-aged spy smiled, "Well I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop by."

"At 3 a.m.? Master Hand's not gonna like this; you know you're not necessarily 'welcome' here."

"Master Hand can come and face me I he's got such a problem with it."

Falcon shrugged off his obvious response, "You also said you wanted to see me? What for?"

Snake put his hands up in defense, "A guy can't want to see his old smash buddy?"

"One sec," Falcon grabbed his gun from his holster and shot the camera in the top corner of the garage, breaking it into pieces. "Just in case."

"Good thinking."

The captain finished polishing is cockpit and threw the dirty rag with the other used ones. "Care to explain yourself? I doubt you'll get another chance when I'm completely alone."

Snake dropped his cigarette to the floor and crushed it under his boot.

"Alright, Doug, hear me out..."

* * *

**Dun, dun, dun...**

**Let me remind you that this isn't a serious story, but I'm sure you'll realize it next chapter.**

**Happy late New Year!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Well here we go. This chapter may be kinda boring. There's A LOT of talking, so hopefully it doesn't get too old. I've also realized my initial idea for this story was pretty stupid, so I did some revising. Hopefully it's not _too_ dumb. (not that I really care)

Sorry to burst some of y'all's bubbles (I'm looking at you Juxboy), but this is a friendship story for the most part. Let's just say I like to keep things "real". (sorry if this offends anyone, please forgive me)

I own nothin'

* * *

It was 9 a.m. and the sun was up as it shone through the mansion windows. Most of the smashers got up some time between seven and ten with a few exceptions here and there, including Falcon himself. Some got up earlier to enjoy a bit of free time by themselves before the flood of drowsy, cranky smashers came scavenging for food, but Falcon didn't mind. He was sitting on a couch in the lounge just across from the dining area with a newspaper in his hand while the others ate their respective breakfasts or brought up conversation.

Falcon peered around his surroundings, not surprised by what he saw. Falco was sleeping in a recliner just feet away with his unread newspaper draped over his face. Ganondorf seemed to be meditating across the room on the floor, his signature mug of morning tea off to the side. Zelda was surprisingly sitting in a chair next to him with a book in her hands. Each morning usually started of the same. People would indulge themselves in their personal activities until they finally 'woke up'. Captain Falcon had already done most of his work earlier, though he was severely distracted by something.

"Excuse me, Mr. Falcon?"

"Hmm?" The F-Zero pilot looked up from his newspaper to see Palutena, the green haired goddess, smiling over him.

"I don't suppose you have any spare newspapers?"

Falcon could only smile at her politeness. Many had told him she was childish and demanding, but he didn't see it. "Of course, Miss Palutena. I brought in a whole stack this morning. They should be on the front counter in the kitchen."

"Thank you very much," she nodded, before turning away and heading into the kitchen.

He'd be lying if he said he was used to that. Not many older smashers ever showed any type of formal manners, not that he cared. Normally, he either found himself trying to communicate with someone like Pikachu or Yoshi, or talking with another anthropomorphic smasher. He didn't want to seem critical, but many of the new members seemed more…distant. Falcon looked up and watched as Robin and Shulk walked out of the kitchen talking, with Lucina following closely behind them.

'_Maybe he was right…'_

The racer was brought out of his musing by loud, heavy footsteps trampling down the hallway steps. Bowser grumbled to himself and entered the kitchen, clearly not wanting to talk to anyone. Falcon wondered how those like Bowser and Ganondorf dealt with the inflation of new smashers to the mansion.

'_I can't believe that old turtle hasn't ditched this place for his own castle… Then again, that doesn't sound like such a bad idea.'_

The next scene happened so quickly Falcon couldn't even react. He was quietly reading his paper, when Dark Pit was thrown into the wall with a furious Bowser being held back by DK and Mario.

"Bowser, you fool! Not now!" Ganondorf yelled as he got up and ran over to the Koopa King. Several smashers went to tend to Dark Pit, but not before Master Hand warped into the middle of the room.

"Bowser! What is the meaning of this?" The hand asked, clearly not in the mood to deal with the turtle's temper.

"What? He was pissing me off," the Koopa King snarled at Master Hand and shook Mario and DK off. "These kids came in here wanting to fight, so I'll give them one. What's the big deal?"

"You know full well that's not how I operate things here," Master Hand scolded. "Granted, you've been tough to deal with in the past, but the matches haven't even begun yet. As a result, I shall suspend you from the mansion for five days as well as your first three matches."

"What!? That's absurd!" Ganondorf fervidly objected. "Who will my partner be in the second round?"

"You needn't worry. I'll have updated charts in the meeting room by the end of the day," Master calmed the speculation. "I know we'll have an odd number of fighters, but the necessary changes will be made."

"You could just forget about this, considering I'd do the same thing to the person I'd be fighting," Bowser pointed out with clear disobedience.

"No. You know what you did, so now you'll face the consequences. Everyone else continue preparing for tomorrow," Master Hand spoke out to the rest. "I've also heard reports that there was an intruder in the mansion earlier this morning. Do any of you know anything about that?"

Falcon's eyes darted straight to Mario who had a nervous look on his face.

"Mario, do you know something?"

Mario looked up at the hand and furiously shook his head, "N-No, I know-a nothing…"

Master Hand shrugged it off and turned to Bowser, "Let's go." With a snap of his fingers, both him and Bowser were gone.

Peach walked over to where Dark Pit sat against the wall and gently offered her hand, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so…"

"Geez, I've never seen anyone get hit so hard with a punishment," Falco offered after being rudely awoken. "Master Hand isn't messing around."

Zelda agreed, "It is quite a steep penalty indeed, no offense Dark Pit."

"None taken."

The princess continued, "Worse things have happened before…" She peered at Ganondorf with a 'you know what I'm talking about' look.

"I told you, that was not my intention. If Jigglypuff had left me alone, nothing would have happened," the King of Evil said in defense.

"What exactly did sir Ganondorf do?" Lucina asked on behalf of the newcomers.

Zelda shook her head, "To make a long story short, Ganondorf did something much worse in the last tournament, but was only suspended one match."

Lucina and the others nodded with an 'oh' as Ganondorf left the room. Minutes past and the smashers went back to their morning events. Falcon had watched the whole thing from the couch and couldn't help but disagree with the way Master Hand dealt with the situation. It was also a good thing Master Hand hadn't found Snake. Falcon just had to make sure no one told the hand, including Samus.

As if on cue, the galactic bounty huntress trekked down the stairs and went straight for the kitchen. A few moments later she reappeared with a bagel in her hand. Falcon chuckled, noting her messy ponytail and blue pajamas.

"Someone was tired. It's already ten o'clock."

Samus sat down on the couch next to him and continued to eat her bagel, "I was up, remember? We don't all get two hours of sleep like you Falcon."

Falcon grinned and folded up his newspaper, "There's some coffee in there if you want it."

"I'm good. Did anything happen before? I felt like I heard a bang, unless I was dreaming."

"It was probably just you snoring."

Samus smacked his shoulder, "Shut up. I don't snore."

"Haha, I'm joking. Yeah, you missed all the commotion. Bowser got suspended for almost a week."

"Almost a week? What the heck did he do?" Samus asked, clearly surprised.

"Threw Dark Pit into the wall over there," Falcon pointed to the lounge wall sporting an angel-sized dent.

"That's it?"

"From what I know, yeah. Everyone else is just as surprised as you are."

"Huh, makes me kinda feel bad for the lizard."

"He's a turtle."

"Whatever."

The F-Zero racer laughed and stood from the couch, "You want anything?"

"No thanks," she said, grabbing his old newspaper on the couch next to her. "Is this today's paper?"

"Yup." Falcon left for the kitchen and made his way back with a cup of coffee, almost tripping over Diddy and spilling it in the process.

"Good save," Samus commented without looking up from the paper.

Captain Falcon sat back down with a 'thanks' and sipped his coffee. "Nothing interesting, huh?"

"Not really. There's an article in here expressing things that the Galactic Federation has done, when they've actually done _none_ of them."

"That's the local newspaper for you. There was an article last year praising the winner of the last AX Cup, but they got the wrong racer."

Samus snickered to herself, "That's sad." She crumbled up the newspaper and scratched her chin in thought. "Wait a minute, if Bowser was kicked out, aren't all the matches gonna be screwed up?"

"Yeah, I think there's an odd number of fighters now. Master Hand said he'd have the charts updated later today."

"Lovely."

Falcon finished his coffee and put the cup down, "I don't even know who I was originally up against."

"Nice," Samus commented sarcastically. "I think I was against that Robin kid… You know, the one with the white hair?"

The racer sighed, "Yes, I _know_. And let me tell you, he's no kid. Have you seen the stuff he reads?"

Samus shook her head with a confused look on her face.

"It would make one of your space databases look like a picture book," Falcon said in the most serious way he could muster.

Samus didn't buy it, "Right… Unfortunately for him, reading won't help on the battlefield."

Falcon laughed at her cynicism before remembering what he'd wanted to ask, "Sorry to change the subject, but you didn't tell Master Hand anything about the 'intruder' this morning, did you?"

"Well considering I just woke up, no," she told him. "I kinda forgot about that. Did you ever see anyone?"

Falcon peered around the room, noticing the place getting a bit livelier with more of the younger smashers waking up. "You got a minute, Sam?"

Samus could tell something was up, "Uh…yeah. What's going on?"

"I'll explain it in a minute. Let's go to my room."

"Let me change first."

"Always slowing me down…"

"Yeah, okay."

* * *

Samus changed into her common zero suit and headed down the hall to Falcon's room. She stopped at the opening to his room, seeing the unfamiliar sight of Captain Falcon with his helmet off, and knocked the side of the wall to get his attention.

"Am I interrupting something?"

He casually turned to look at her, "Nope, c'mon in."

Samus did what she was told and took a seat on the edge of his bed, watching the F-Zero champion slowly pace back and forth. She had seen him without his helmet on before, but still hadn't gotten used to it. He looked so…masculine and mature without it. It wasn't that his helmet made him look stupid, it just covered up his more serious appearance. Most people thought he was silly with his super hero-esque attire and the way he called out his signature moves with undying pride, but he was practically an experienced soldier underneath. Even Samus forgot this at times, noting the fact that he was much more intimidating underneath his popular appearance.

"Sam… Have you noticed any changes around here lately?" The Captain continued walking back and forth slowly, not bothering to look at her.

"Uh…besides the newcomers, no not really."

He didn't waiver from her 'less than helpful' answer, "All right. Have you noticed anything special about a lot of them?"

Samus still had no idea what he was leading to, "Special? Uhh…They're new?"

"Somehow, you're getting closer," he admitted while tapping his chin in thought. "Let's see… What do Palutena, Shulk, Robin, Lucina, Little Mac, Dark Pit and Wii Fit Trainer all have in common?"

Samus was purposely being blunt, so she thought she might as well go all the way, "Uh…They're all human?"

"YES!" Falcon exclaimed and pointed right at her, "They're all human!"

The alien hunter was getting sick of this, "Are you serious? Douglas, what are you talking about!?"

Falcon had a wide grin on his face, "I _did_ find someone here last night."

"Who the heck was it, and what are you trying to tell me?"

The racing champion leaned towards her and smirked.

"Alright, Sam, hear me out."

* * *

"_You've got my attention."_

_The mercenary grinned, "Good. Now you may think what I'm about to say is a bit crazy, but I have faith a man like you will understand it eventually."_

_Captain Falcon lightly tapped his boot on the garage floor, patiently waiting for his friend's explanation. "Is this about you not being in? Come on Dave, you know we've already talked about this."_

"_You said you'd listen. That's part of it, but not the whole thing, even though it's a compelling argument in itself."_

_Falcon took off his helmet and placed it off to the side. Snake bit a new cigarette between his teeth and continued, "You've noticed all these new fighters right? I'm sure you've scouted them out."_

"_I've done my fair share of studying, yes. What's your point?"_

"_They're all human."_

"_Excuse me?"_

"_They're just like us Falcon. Only younger and less experienced. When I came during the Brawl days, we we're some of the only humans there."_

"_What do you mean? I know there were some 'non-humans', but there's always been."_

"_Really? Think about it. The Mario brothers barely pass as your average 'humans', there's fifty pokemon running around, the anthropomorphic pilots, you've got that pink puffball and his weird friends, and the list goes on. I know there's Sam, the swordsmen, the Hyrule crew, and a few others, but humans we're never the majority."_

_Falcon agreed that he was partially right, "Okay, I get what you're saying, but what does that have to do with anything?"_

"_Look what you have now. Master Hand brought in a majority of humans. The new ones are young and flashy, which surely makes sense from a business part of it. Some of them don't seem like the most capable of fighters, but still."_

"_Oh… I get it," Falcon said with a mocking tone, "You're mad that Master Hand brought in a bunch of people and didn't bring you back…"_

_Snake pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, "No, that's not it. You know I wanted to come back, but not after this. I certainly have no problems against the human race. If you wanna get right down to it, I actually came to warn you."_

"_Warn me? What could you possibly warn me about?"_

"_Master Hand's made rearrangements before and he'll make them again, just like he did with me, only next time it could be with you, or Samus, or Ike…"_

"_Whoa, whoa, whoa…" Falcon put his hands up to slow Snake down, "You think Master Hand's bringing these fancy newcomers in to eventually replace us?"_

_The spy bobbled his head in semi-agreement, "It's definitely a possibility that you shouldn't overlook. It's for your own good, Douglas."_

_Captain Falcon considered his point but sighed nonetheless, "Snake, you sure you're not look too far into this?"_

"_You know, maybe I am," Snake rubbed his wrinkled forehead as his tired eyes stared down the racer, "but as men like us know, you're never safe in this world. We've both had our jigs, Falcon. We're sure to have plenty more, but were on the waning side of life now. Times change, whether we like it or not."_

_The bounty hunter frowned at his counterpart, taking in his familiar words, "You're absolutely right, Snake. Us racers don't take anything for granted just like you mercenaries. Others will come in and do what we already did, but they'll try and do it better. There's nothing we can do about that."_

_Snake raised one of his eyebrows as the Captain smiled._

"_But who says we have to be replaced? The better part of our lives has already past, but that doesn't mean we're dead. I'm the best goddamn racer this world has ever seen, and you're the best soldier. Sam's the best bounty hunter and Mario's the best hero. Master Hand may try to replace us with the newer generation, but they'll never fill our shoes."_

_Snake's cigarette had long gone out and he was chewing on the old butt. A second passed when the super soldier burst out laughing. Falcon didn't seem to care why as he laughed with him._

"_Haha haaa… Damn, Falcon," Snake held out his hand for a shake, "You truly are worthy of your title."_

_Falcon swiftly accepted it, "It's hard work, but I make the most of it."_

"_You may be right, but listen, I've answered my calling. I'm ashamed I wasn't called back here, but I've found my place. I just hope it's as easy for you and the others."_

"_You know, I've mulled retirement before… These things flash into my head sometimes and it drives me crazy. I started thinking of the smash tournaments as a chore, wanting to go back home and race in peace. It does get hard from time to time with all the excited rookies running about, but it keeps me young. I don't have to like everyone. I just like doing the things I like with the people I like."_

_The spy grinned, "That's all that matters. Just do me a favor and consider my words. You don't have to revolt, but don't let those amateurs walk all over you."_

"_You wound me, Snake. I wasn't going to let that happen to begin with, though I suppose I'll fight a bit harder from here on out."_

"_Good man," Snake said with a nod of his head, "Thanks for setting my head straight. Saving the world is more important than this anyway."_

_Falcon chuckled, "That's the spirit. So where are you headed after this?"_

"_I don't know. Wherever the guys up top take me. There's supposed to be another uprising in Liberia. Probably gonna dispatch me over."_

"_That's too bad. I know I may not show it, but I do miss having you around. This place needs a guy like you."_

_Snake couldn't help but laugh, "Oh, so _now_ you want me to come back. Well, hey, maybe if you beat all the newcomers Master Hand'll see how green they really are and come back for me."_

"_That's…not a bad idea," Falcon thought out loud, "Alright Snake, I'll accept your little challenge. I'll get you back in here."_

"_And here I thought this wasn't important… Whatever you want, Doug. I'll be standing by."_

"_You still 141.80?"_

"_Yeah. So I can expect to be back in a week?"_

_They both smiled and shook hands one last time, "Sure thing, pal."_

* * *

Samus should have known better. Here she was expecting Falcon to spill some inner secret about the Smash program, but instead was at the receiving end of some pathetic story.

"That's it? Seriously, Falcon? You found that old dog snooping around the hallway and now you're on some stupid crusade to get him back in?"

The Captain looked at her with a frown on his face, "No, that's not all of it. You've gotta admit he had a point. These new recruits may replace us sometime. We've got to fight back." Samus watched as the man smacked his fist into his palm.

"I can't believe you're serious. You let Snake rot your mind and now you're spewing nonsense. There's no way Master Hand could ever replace us, we've been here since the beginning. _We're_ the ones who started this whole thing."

"That was back in the good old days. Back when Nintendo still sponsored our work. That's why they put us all together and hired Master Hand," Falcon started dramatically pacing again, "I mean, they haven't taken interest in my racing in over ten years! Ten years! When was the last time they followed one of your missions, besides that Other M incident?"

"Uh…" Samus tapped her finger against her chin, trying to remember her last sponsorship. "Well they reported Corruption…eight years ago…"

"You see! I heard Fox and Falco just signed a new contract not too long ago, which means they're safe. There aren't that many others besides us."

"So what, we start revolting against Master Hand to solve our problems? Get real, Douglas. We can't do anything about it."

Falcon seemed disappointed in the bounty huntress, "So we just go our separate ways and never look back? I'm fine with going back to race for the rest of my life, but I'm not ready just yet. I'm sure you wouldn't want to leave everything for uninhabited planets either."

Samus remained motionless on the edge of his bed. She wasn't brave enough to agree with him, but he was right. "Okay? What are we supposed to do? Snake surely wasn't much help."

"You like condemning him, don't you?"

"He deserves it."

"Right…" Falcon smiled at his friend's stubbornness. "Here's what we do: We win the next tournament by a landslide, you or me."

"You make it sound easy. What'll that do anyway, besides give us some extra cash?"

"We've got to separate ourselves from the rest and prove that we're better than everyone."

Samus rested her forehead in her palm, "You seem obsessed about this 'being better than everyone' thing. I still doubt we'd ever get kicked out."

The proud racer pretended not to hear her as he extended his hand out, "So? You in?"

Samus swatted his hand away, "Don't get ahead of yourself. I'll think about it." Falcon crossed his arms and gave her a 'come on, you know you want to' look, but the bounty hunter didn't flinch. "Let's go get something to eat. That bagel was stale."

* * *

Woohoo. I couldn't help but hint at the deprivation of F-Zero and Metroid. No hard feelings Nintendo, but you've been kinda slacking regarding those two awesome series. I still have faith though, and I'll wait patiently.

Till next time.


End file.
